| Pedestal
- The pedestal assembly is an eleva-tion-over-azimuth configuration
provid-ing high dynamics and precision point-ing. The pedestal is
fabricated using high-strength steel castings, hardened-steel,
low-backlash spur-gear reducers, four-point contact bearing/gear
assemblies and stainless steel hardware throughout. Also featured are
fail-safe brakes, adjustable electrical limits and modular data
packages. An optional slipring assembly and RF rotary joints permits
con-tinuous azimuth rotation in lieu of the standard +/-370 degrees. The
standard medium-bandwidth (12 Hz) 3-phase, Pulse-Width Modulated (PWM)
servo power amplifiers are mounted within the pedestal base. Optional
high-performance, wide-band-width (>100 Hz) servos are available to
provide wide dynamic range and ultra-smooth operation.
Antenna - The
antenna subsystem consists of a RADSCAN feed rigidly supported by a
graphite-composite quadrapod which firmly locates the feed at the focal
point of the paraboloidal reflector. The RADSCAN feed uses a brushless
d-c, hollow-shaft drive motor. and has only one moving part with no
rotary points. The scan reference signal is derived from a solid-state
optical commutator rather than the old-fashioned two-phase reference
generator. RADSCAN reliabil-ity is extremely high. with an MTBF
exceeding 60,000 hours RADSCAN's r-f enclosure provides a housing in
which optional items such as low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), bandpass
filters and coaxial relays may be mounted, thus placing these items as
close as possible to the feed elements to minimize losses. As an option.
the antenna can be supplied with an automatic tracking Acqui-sition Aid
antenna, providing a wide beamwidth for acquisition. Switch-over to the
main antenna is automatic.
Antenna Control Systems - Functionally. all of our Antenna
Control Systems are available as slaved "pointers" Program Tracking, and
Full Autotracking systems. We have packaged our Control Sys-tems in two
form factors: desk top, with mouse and keyboard operator interface - the
ACU-8, and rack mounted windowed interface system which is controlled
via touch pad membranes to facilitate navigating the windows - the
ACU-21. Both form factors can accept all commercial bus inputs (i.e.
GPIB, Ethernet, RS-232, RS-422) and are available to control many COSTS
products like Receivers, Bit Synchronizers, Bit Error Rate Test Sets,
Power Meters, RF Switch Relays, HPA's etc. Built-in ephemeris data
generation can be proved which will accept almost every input format
from Range and Elevation to NORAD 2 line elements. All of our software
was either developed in C, or C+ +. Chances are one of our existing
Antenna Control System Baselines will meet your needs, but if not - the
modular design of these systems allows us to rapidly and inexpensively
customize Antenna Control System functionality to meet your specific
needs. |
